Midland is booming - at least according to a growth trends report presented to council by staff Wednesday.
Prepared by the planning and building services department, the report analyzed the growth in Midland over the last 20 years. The intent of the report was to identify issues, trends, and opportunities within the town.
The report prepared by planner Angela Zhao says the town has grown steadily over 15 years, noting the population has increased from 12,000 in 2001 to 16,894 in 2016. Just as with the rest of Canada, Midland's population is also getting older.
In 2016, Midland’s senior population (65+) represented 25.17% of the total population, says the report; that's an increase of almost 7% from 2001. Conversely, this also means that the percentage of working population is low and there are fewer children. Midland’s age median has grown from 41.1 years old to 50.1, an increase of 9 years between 2001 to 2016.
As for what is the town's plan for supporting its aging population and focusing on attracting younger people to the area, Coun. Bill Gordon said there may not be a plan.
"Getting into the details of trying to plan to have youth to stay in the town, we don’t really have a plan," he said. "We don’t have a plan for the seniors to age in place. How do we fix that? We know people are moving from the big city because it’s an attractive place. That’s important, but so is keeping youth and attracting young families, but what can we offer them?"
Well-paying trades jobs and a younger lifestyle are two ways younger people can be persuaded to stay or come to the area, said Mayor Stewart Strathearn.
"I think what we’re looking to have to do is that young people these days realize that there are 200 jobs today in the trade environment," he said. "These companies that are here compete internationally. It’s not your sweatshop environment anymore. And if we can offer a lifestyle that is conducive to what they’re hoping for, with cafes and restaurants, then they could be persuaded to stay."
According to the report, in 2019, Midland's construction value was at $104.7 million, an increase of 75% from $26 million in 2018. Last year saw the highest total construction value in the last 10 years.
Of the building permits issued in 2019, 67% were non-residential, whereas 33% were residential permits.
"I think the growth trends report is one of the best reports we have seen," said Coun. Jonathan Main. "All last term we spent hours upon hours talking about these approval so it’s great to see all this development coming together. It would be great to show people where the town of Midland is growing and how we’re growing."
The report also listed major investments in 2019, including the Hanson subdivision, the Bayport subdivision, and major commercial developments at 619 Prospect Blvd., Midland Honda at 947 Jones Rd., and the Hampton Inn at 877 King St.
The report characterized residential growth in the town as having generally been slow and steady, with fluctuations in years when large-scale apartment buildings or subdivisions were constructed.
Last year, a total of 104 new residential units were created in the town. This was up 30% from the 73 issued in 2018. With several subdivisions undergoing planning approvals, it is anticipated that the number of residential permits should continue to rise.
The report also talked about the town’s core housing need, which is defined by factors that include residents' inability to move to better housing even when their needs exceed their current dwelling and affordability and the lack of affordable housing elsewhere aside from their current house/apartment.
According to those surveyed in the 2016 census, 15.2% have unfulfilled core housing needs. This number is 2.6% higher than Simcoe County, but 0.1% lower than the province of Ontario. Of the households that have a core housing need, 81% were a result of lack of affordable housing.
"Affordable housing, at least according to what the county is saying, means that any unit is a good unit," said Main. "The more housing flexibility we have the better. The one thing we see here a lot is the need for apartments, so it’s good to see there are some apartments coming online (available) and there are some more that are planned. As long as we keep providing a whole mix, that’s one of the key things to highlight."
Zhao explained that affordable housing is under the county's mandate and essentially there is very little the town can do about it. Additionally, she said, the county takes action by approaching towns once it has funding available from the province or Ottawa.
"My focus is on working with urban intensification and adding more units to the existing units and making more out of what we have," said Main.
The report goes on to say, this is not a problem unique to Midland. In Simcoe County, 83% of core housing needs were related to affordability, and 75% for the province. However, the town has the lowest ratio of unsuitability, which means the town has been successful in ensuring the unit types being constructed are meeting the needs of the community.
"There are a bunch of different planning tools we’re looking at and hopefully we will try to implement to either mandate or encourage affordable housing," said Main.
"But you’ll see Midland take a more active role in making in that direction. Things are ongoing right now, like Midland Bay Landing. There are also other municipal lots that are going through brownfield remediation, like the old Parks Building on Forest Street and Operations Depot on Ontario Street," Main told MidlandToday. "Those are properties we’re going through the environmental process to be able to reuse. The hope is those will be declared surplus and be used for affordable housing."
The affordability problem has only grown in the town in the last decade.
"We can’t compel the developers or builders to build something affordable," said Gordon. "Inclusionary zoning is something the town can use to effect the situation of affordable housing. We would all be able to compete equally if all municipalities here had this in their plans."
He said council has been cautioned by staff about mandating inclusionary zoning because it might deter developers from bringing their business to Midland.
"If you were in Markham or Barrie, where you had high growth pressure, you could probably push inclusionary zoning," said Strathearn. "The real thing that should have happened is that if the province wanted inclusionary zoning, they should have done it everywhere, I believe. We haven't experienced a growth, as the report will tell you, to have had inclusionary zoning in there."
There are other options, such as secondary suites, he said.
The report also highlighted some major residential building projects underway in the town, including Bayport Village Phase II, Midland Bay Estates, Mundy's Harbour and The Season on Little Lake.
